Family Tree
by heartofShou
Summary: One-Shot, Alternate Universe. It may be another time in another place, but the bond between them will never break. A fluffy, brotherly moment between Murtagh and Eragon.


DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Eragon_, its characters, its plot, etc.

_**Family Tree**_

"_But we are hiding in a safer place..._

_You give me feelings that I adore._"

- Colbie Collet, **Bubbly**

"I think we're stuck up here."

"Shut up. I'm not talking to you."

Despite the fact that not even five minutes ago the two of them had been yelling obscenities at each other, Eragon couldn't help but feel a little hurt at the way his brother snapped at him. He pulled his knees closer to his chest and gazed down at the ground, feeling a bit forlorn. It probably was his fault that the two of them were stuck on this tree branch, but it's not like he had done such a thing on purpose. He had been just as caught up in the yelling as Murtagh had been when his foot had knocked the ladder- their only means of getting down- off the branch and onto the ground. They had both watched dumbfounded as the ladder landed with a thud. The silence that had come between them was instantly broken by Murtagh's shrieking promises of death and if the were not so perilously perched on a tree branch Eragon believed that his brother really would have rung his neck. Some vocal abuse later, the two of them were left sulking side by side.

Daylight started to fade and while he was wishing he had worn a jacket, Eragon mumbled, "Dad's gonna be mad."

Murtagh snorted and pulled his own coat tighter around him. "Dad's always mad," was his only comment. "Mom's the one who's going to be worried."

Poor Mom. She did her best to keep balance in the household but it was hard to manage that with two rambunctious boys around. Murtagh was just so inquisitive and always had to be investigating something. Then Eragon, the follower, would have to tag-along too. Sometimes it annoyed Murtagh that he was always shadowed by his younger brother and sometimes it annoyed Eragon that he couldn't always keep up, but otherwise the two generally got along fairly well. At the age he was now, however, Eragon was starting to get ideas of his own- ideas which he held to as stubbornly as Murtagh did his own. They found themselves butting heads more often.

That was what had happened with the tree house. It had seemed a fine idea to do on an idle summer day. So they had gathered up materials and marched over to the lone tree in their backyard. Once they set to work, though, both discovered that each had his own idea of what the treehouse should look like. This had led to an argument that ranged from one's stupidity to how the other snored in his sleep.

Guilt gnawing at his chest, Eragon admitted, "Your idea was better. I should have just gone along with it in the first place." It had taken a lot to admit such a thing, but it was his way of making peace. Neither really ever noticed but this was often how things were resolved.

They would fight, Eragon would apologize, and then things would get back to normal.

Sure enough, Murtagh felt his anger ease and he shrugged his shoulders casually. "Nah," he shook his head, "you had some good points too. I should have known that."

A few moment's pause and then Eragon put forth, "So you don't think I'm an idiot?"

Murtagh proceeded to make a show of how nonsensical his own words had been. "Of course not," he scoffed, like he had when the baseball coach had insinuated that his younger brother was nothing but a klutz. "You're no genius but you got plenty of talent."

Eragon was delighted, "You really think so?" His older brother's opinion had always mattered so much to him but very rarely did he ever get praised, by anyone. So to hear that his brother thought well of him meant the world.

"You're _my_ brother after all," Murtagh drew himself up- as much as he could in the tree- with pride. "You couldn't have turned out that bad."

The younger brunette giggled. "Thanks Murtagh," he whispered, so happy that he did not even notice the way his arms were shivering. His brother, on the hand, did notice.

"For crying out loud!" Murtagh huffed, carefully slipping the jacket off his shoulders and arranging it over the both of them. It was a snug fit and required the two of them scoot a little closer together but at this point, neither of them minded. Shoulder to shoulder, they watched as night faded in and city lights began to glow.


End file.
